Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Today, I made my first batch of  Vietnamese Spicy Fish Sauce, courtesy of a recipe I found on recipezaar.com (see below). Boy, what an experiment this was! It was all about trial and error, tasting and re-tasting! I tried to make it according to the recipezaar recipe, but after tasting it, it was really too strong for me. I had to add about one or two more cups of water to the suggested amount and a lot more sugar to sweeten it up more. I just eyeballed it and kept adding more water little by little and a teaspoon of sugar little by little until it reached a nice balance between salty, spicy and sweet. (If I had to guess how much extra sugar I added, I'd have to say I added about 3-5 extra teaspoons. But again, it was all based on taste). I used one freshly squeezed lime and I minced the garlic instead of using a press (but next time, I'll use a press because I didn't mince it fine enough this time). Instead of whole, fresh chilies, I used some crushed red pepper flakes (about 1 heaping teaspoon). I think if I use this recipe again, instead of adding more water, I'll just cut down on the amount of fish sauce and build from there, so I don't have to use a huge jar to store it in. (I was hoping to store it in a small jelly jar).


At least now I have some yummy Vietnamese spicy fish sauce to use on everything from noodles, to spring rolls, to chicken!


If you don't want to make a huge batch of Vietnamese fish sauce, there's a quick Mnemonic device that makes it easier to remember how to make it: the 1-2-2-3 method. You use 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of lime juice (or rice vinegar if you don't have limes around) and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir it up and then you can add a small handful of shredded carrots for garnish or add more flavor by mixing in some chili garlic sauce. Taste it and adjust it to your liking (if you want it sweeter, add more sugar, or add more water to dilute it more). I think I prefer the 1-2-2-3 method for making Vietnamese fish sauce because it's quicker and you can "cheat" by just adding chili garlic sauce, instead of mincing your own chili and garlic when you are short on time.

Here's the recipe from recipezaar.com:

               Ingredients

• 2 red chili peppers, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 teaspoons sugar or 1 1/2 packages artificial sweetener
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
• 1 cup water

              Directions

1. 
   
   
   

   1

   Mash peppers, garlic and sugar into a paste, using mortar and pestle.
2. 
   
   
   
   

   2

   Add the fish sauce, lime juice and water.
3. 
   
   
   
   

   3

   Blend well.
4. 
   
   
   

   4

   Seal and refrigerate.

iPhone iMorals

I just heard a great story and I wanted to pass it on...

My previous supervisor lost her cell phone on the BART train a couple days ago. Doesn't sound like too unique of a situation, does it?

Well, she had an iPhone. Still, not that unique...

Now, how many people do you think would return a lost iPhone found on a BART train, or anywhere for that matter? What would you do? Most people might see it and either take it or leave it, thinking the owner might come back looking for it. So you're left with the classic psychological situation of everyone thinking someone else will do something about it, and then no one does anything--or someone just picks it up and heads home with it, right? If I lost my iPhone, I would consider it gone forever!

Well, I was shocked to find out that someone actually found her iPhone on the BART train and returned it the nearest AT&T store, because he did not trust the BART station people to return it the proper owner (it might get lost again or misplaced at the station or someone else might take it, who knows). Isn't that amazing? The man who found the iPhone had enough sense to turn it off right away so the battery wouldn't drain, leaving enough juice in the iPhone so the AT&T people could find the rightful owner. How thoughtful is that? I just couldn't believe it! I mean this whole story has just lifted my spirits and reminded me that, even today, in this urban San Francisco bay area environment, there are still decent, honest people out there who just want to do that right thing. I have to say, this man had remarkable iPhone "iMorals"--ahhh, if only everyone embraced this as the standard etiquette for all lost cell phones!

On my iPhone, I found a free application, "If Found, Please Return To." You simply input your name and alternate phone number and e-mail address, and if you lose your phone, hopefully someone will be kind enough to return it to you. You can also make this screen your wallpaper too, so that it's the first thing someone sees when the phone is turned on. 

Free Shipping at Anthropologie for Anthro Card Holders!

Good news for Anthro lovers: Free shipping  at Anthropologie.com now through  March 31, 2010!  Remember to link your online account to your  anthro number and you will automatically  receive free shipping at Anthropologie.com!  Click here to link your anthro card No coupon code required!  Happy March shopping!  Enjoy FREE shipping at Anthropologie  through March! *This offer is valid for domestic shipments only. To take advantage of Free  Standard Shipping, you must link your anthro number to a new or existing anthropologie.com account. Additional fees apply for overweight, express or overnight shipping. Offer does not apply to previous orders.

Young Coconut

Yesterday, I had my first young coconut and all I can say is, "Where the heck has this been all my life???" My friend, who spoils me rotten, served me up a young coconut (after hacking away at it to open it up with a gigantic cleaver), stuck a straw in it and said, "drink up!" 

OH MY GOSH, I felt so pampered--this was like one of the the best things I've ever had! Now, I'm addicted for life!!! Not only do you get to drink the delicious, not too sweet coconut water inside, but you get to scoop out the edible, tender coconut flesh inside. It's a drink and dessert all in one--how efficient! The fresh coconut meat is like nothing I've ever eaten--it was soft and silky, almost like a firm, tender gelatin or tapioca. The coconut water was not overly sweet or too coconuty, if that's even conceivable--one would imagine coconut water to taste like coconut ice cream or like rich coconut flakes, but it's nothing like that! Young coconut is very mild and very thirst quenching. I felt like I was on a vacation sipping a young coconut on the beach or something, and it was just a regular Wednesday afternoon! How glorious! 

If you see one of these young coconuts in the store (not the ones with all the scratchy "hair" on them!), you should try one! It is SO worth it!!! If you don't know how to open a young coconut--they are extremely hard to open--then check out this video:

 

Though, my friend did something more similar to this with her ginormous cleaver, sort of like she was chopping wood on the porch: how to kill a young coconut. (It's a great stress reliever to hack away at a young coconut! Just make sure you have good aim and you do it outside, preferably).

I couldn't get this coconut out of my head yesterday, so I just had to look up some information on it and I was very pleased with my discoveries! Turns out, coconuts are very healthy and very good for you!! 

Coconut Water: On the average 1 cup contains about 46 calories and 2 grams of protein. The sodium content is surprisingly high with 252 mg. and so is the fiber at 3 grams. The total fat is exceptionally low at 0.5 grams with 0.4 grams saturated.

Coconut water contains a full range of B vitamins with the exception of vitamin B6 and B12. There are 6.00 mcg of folic acid and 5.8 mg of vitamin C. Rating the minerals that 1 cup contains 57.6 mg of calcium, 0.7 mg. of iron, 60 mg of magnesium, 600 mg of potassium, and 0.2 mg of zinc.

According to  Wiliweld.com, if you eat the whole young coconut and drink the water, this is the breakdown of the nutritional facts:

Selection & Storage: Choose Young coconuts that are heavy for their size and make sure to shake them.They should be so full of liquid that you can not hear it sloshing around inside.Once inside the water should be very clear and the meat very white. Also, look for a coconut that does not have any signs of mold on the outside--that is the first obvious sign that it's going bad!
Avoid: Avoid drinking the water or eating the meat from a young coconut that is even slightly pink on the inside. 

ENJOY!

Sinead O'Connor: "The Last Day of our Acquaintance"

I haven't heard a live version of this song, but I just found this and I love it! She just has 
such a unique and beautiful voice. Her inflections and intonations are so powerful.








This is the album version, which is still awesome.


This is the last day of our acquaintance
I will meet you later in somebody's office
I'll talk but you won't listen to me
I know what your answer will be
I know you don't love me anymore
You used to hold my hand when the plane took off
Two years ago there just seemed so much more
And I don't know what happened to our love
Today's the day
Our friendship has been stale
And we will meet later to finalize the details
Two years ago the seed was planted
And since then you have taken me for granted
But this is the last day of our acquaintance
I will meet you later in somebody's office
I'll talk but you won't listen to me
I know your answer already
But this is the last day of our acquaintance
I will meet you later in somebody's office
I'll talk but you won't listen to me
I know your answer already
I know your answer already
I know your answer already





This final live version is, in my opinion, the most powerful. You can really hear the emotion 
behind her vocals. I must warn you that there is an expletive at 2 minutes, 43 seconds 
(so just push stop at 2:43 if you don't want to hear it), but it's worth it to listen up to that 
point just to hear the beauty and emotion of her voice.

Duffy

Duffy's "Syrup and Honey" is so soulful. Her voice has such an interesting texture and I like 
this glimpse into her studio.







This is a cool, different acoustic version of "Mercy."

Scanpan CTX Nonstick Cookware

Scanpan CTX nonstick cookware is the next revolution in cooking! I saw this demoed at Sur la Table  (can you tell I love that store?) and it was pretty incredible. This nice lady was making crepes on the smallest nonstick skillet without any butter or oil or cooking spray! Then, she was handing them out as samples--what a cool demo!!! What was even more interesting was that these pans are PFOA free so they are safe for the environment and you. It's really remarkable. I was getting swept away by this cookware's capacity to replace my cheap nonstick pan at home that is probably leaching chemicals out into everything I cook! YUCK!

These are strong pans, made in Denmark. The lady demoing this product said that they are made from ceramic and titanium, one of the strongest metals out there. They are finished with a beautiful brushed 18/10 stainless steel finish on the outside. Heat is evenly distributed throughout the pan because of it's 5-layer clad-aluminum construction. Now comes the best parts: you can use METAL utensils on this without scratching or harming the surface, you can put it in the oven up to 500 degrees, and you can throw it in the dishwasher!! How cool is that!? Bonus: you can also brown, sear and deglaze in this nonstick pan, too--which you can't do with traditional nonstick cookware. 

Sur la Table sells this cookware by the single piece or by the set. The day it was demoed, there was a 10% discount on a single pan or 15% off the entire set, which included two sauce pans, two fry pans, a saute pan and a stock pot. The entire set sells for $875, but if you bought each piece separately, it would be $1195. If you are looking to replace all your icky old school non-stick chemical leaching pans, then this is the set to consider. I really want this set, but I am hoping to just get at least one small 8" or 10" fry pan because I know I'd use it every day. The 8" pan sells for $99.95 (I know--GASP! But it sure makes a nice gift or treat, and it's worth having nice cookware if you're going to use it, especially if it's not going to leach chemicals into your food that you've worked so hard to prepare). 

Amazon.com sells the same set for $875.95. I know that's expensive, but you get free shipping and no tax (upfront). Plus, it's not that bad in the world of cookware sets if you compare this to All-Clad cookware, Le Creuset, or Viking.

Plus, the lady at Sur la Table said that if this cookware does scratch at all from using a metal utensil on it, they will replace it. It's high quality cookware that is backed with that strong of a warranty. Now, that's worry-free shopping! 

Is nonstick cookware safe? What is PFOA?